Molded cushion



Dec. 8, 1936.,

F. O. CHURCH MOLDED CUSHION Filed April 25, 1936 INVENTOR. fifFfi/V/nL/A/ O CHu/Pcw ATTORNEY;

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 MOLDED OUSHION' Franklin 0. Church, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Dunlop Tire & Rubber Corporation, N. Y., a corporation of New York Buffalo,

Application April 25, 1936, Serial No. 76,310

' 5 Claims. (01. -119) My present invention relates to cushions of molded cellular resilient material, such as sponge rubber or foamed latex rubber.

Heretofore cushions of resilient cellular structure have been formed of a mass of the cellular material with a number of spaced recesses projecting from the underside upwardly into the mass so as to form partition walls between the recesses and a continuous cover slab above the recesses and joining the intersecting walls. In these molded cushions as heretofore constructed,

the thickness of the intersecting walls was subg top slab Ill and to form intersecting partitions l3,

stantiallyuniform from one intersection to the next, if a square or polygonal recess was employed or they decreased in thickness if cylindrical recesses were employed. Consequently the cushion was stiil'er or harder at the points of intersection inasmuch as the partitions were braced in twodirections at these points and were yet relatively more yielding at the lnterven'ingportions; The tendency of this was to decrease the uniformity of the cushion or to render it lessyielding in certain parts than in others;

In my present invention this variation in the resiliency of the cushion due to stiffening at the intersections of the wall is'counteracted by thickening the walls between the intersections. '3 Small fillets are provided between the intersecting surfaces of the partitions, but otherwise the walls are thinnest near the points of intersection and then how inwardly toward the recesses to progressively increase the thickness of the walls towards their midpoint.- This thickening is so proportioned for any given requirement or condition as to compensate for the greater rigidity or stiffness at the points of intersection due to the cross bracing of the intersecting walls. The recesses are preferably dom'ed so as to spread pressure stresses toward the partition walls.

ion to he graduated or varied from one area to an other by increasing the cross-sectional dimensions of the recesses in those areas where a softer or more yielding cushion is desired. This enlargement of the cross-sectional area ,may be .ac-v companied either by a wider spacing of the partitions or by decreasing the wall thickness while still maintaining the relative increase in wall thickness between the intersections.

The various features'of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawingas applied to a cushion having recesses of rectangular or square cross-section and in which-- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the cushion; Fig. 2

The invention enables the softness of the-cusha bottom view, and Fig. 3 a bottom-view of a mothfled arrangement of the recesses.

The cushion shown in the, accompanying dra ing isrmade of a single mass of foamed latex rubher which is poured into a mold having cores projecting upwardly therefrom to form the :re-

cesses. The resulting structure has a continuous top slab III which is extended downwardly at the edges to form encircling walls ii. Recesses i! are formed at spaced intervals and project up wardly from the bottom of the cushion through which they open to a height sufllcient to form a thatextend in one direction, for'example lengthwise, and N that extend at a right angle or cross- At the intersection of the walls I! and i4 small fillets it are formed to avoid sharp fcorners that might weaken the structure. From these points of intersection the surfacesof the intersecting walls I! and it are bowed'inwardly toward the centers of the recesses I! as at It. As a result, the thickness of the intersecting walls increases toward the point midway of the intersection. Consequently the strength and resistance of the -partition walls increases at increased distances from the intersection where the strengthening due to cross bracing of the walls, decreases. Thus a more comfortable seat cushion is provided if the part near thefront edge is somewhat softer than the areas back of this front edge. For this purpose tne front recesses as at I! in Fig. 2 are made wider in one or more dimensions so that there will be less supporting wall area at these sections of decreased stiffness. r

The softness oryielding effect of the cushion I! are domed at their upper ends" the thickening of thepwalls 'counterbalances or may be increased by decreasing the wall thickness as at i Bin Fig. 3 as well as increasing the spacings of the walls, both of these being accomplished by suitably increasing the cross-sectional dimensions I what thicker and the recesses at this point someway between said wall intersections.

3. A cushion of cellular resilient material comprising a top slab of said material, and intersecting vertical walls oi said material beneath said slab, said wail surfaces having fillets at their point of intersection and increasing progressively in thickness from said 'flllets to a midpoint between said walls.

4. A cushion of cellular resilient material comprising a top slab of said material and intersecting vertical walls beneath said slab, said walls forming successive spaced recesses, said recesses being polygonal and having their walls bowed inwardly toward the interior Y 01' said recesses to thicken them progressively toward their midpoint.

5. A cushion of cellular resilient material comprising a top slab of said material; and intersecting vertical partition walls or said material joined to said slab and extendingtherebeneath to form successive spaced recesses, said recesses being domed at their tops and said partition walls being thicker at an intermediate point than at said intersection. I

W O. CHURCH. 

